KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) – Excessive heat is in the forecast for the Monadnock Region for much of this week.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. The advisory says heat index values up to 100 are expected, and warm overnight low temperatures in the 70’s will result in great cumulative heat stress.

Be sure to keep yourself and your pets hydrated and stay in the air-conditioning if possible and out of the sun. If you do need to be outside, wear sunscreen and lightweight, loose-fitting clothing, and limit strenuous activity.

There will be a few cooling centers available in Keene. The city swimming pools at Wheelock and Robin Hood Parks are open Monday-Friday 1 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from noon-5:45 p.m. More information on that is available at KeeneParks.com.

The Keene Public Library is air-conditioned and open to the public during their regular hours. They’re open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. More information on the library is available at KeenePublicLibrary.org.

The Keene Family YMCA will also open their doors to the public as a cooling center. Their hours are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday.

The city is also reminding residents to check in on vulnerable friends, family, and neighbors, and take action quickly when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the symptoms of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, cold/pale/clammy skin, a fast and weak pulse, nausea or vomiting, muscle cramps, tiredness or weakness, dizziness, headache, and fainting. If you or someone you know is experiencing heat exhaustion they should move to a cool place, loosen their clothes, put cool, wet cloths on or take a cool bath, and sip water.

Symptoms of heat stroke include a body temperature of 103 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, hot and red dry or damp skin, a fast and strong pulse, headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and loss of consciousness. Heat stroke is a medical emergency, so call 911 immediately, move the person to a cooler place, help lower their temperature with cool cloths or a cool bath, and do not give them anything to drink.

Eversource has issued a statement saying they are prepared for the heat as well as air conditioners and fans will be working overtime, which can put a strain on the electric system.

Eversource is prepared to meet the increased demand and has crews on standby to respond to any outages or issues that may arise, and remote system operators are constantly monitoring the system and are ready to reroute power and shift other resources if necessary.

The power company is reminding customers to keep air conditioners set as warm as comfort allows, don’t block air flow, don’t operate major appliances during the cooler parts of the day, keep blinds closed, and set ceiling fans to rotate counterclockwise and at a higher speed to circulate air more effectively.

Other cooling stations will be open in the following locations:
Antrim: James Tuttle Library – Wednesday 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and Thursday 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Claremont: Claremont Community Savings Bank Community Center – Monday-Thursday 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Dublin: Dublin Library – Tuesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Greenfield, NH: Greenfield Volunteer Fire Department until 8 p.m.
Hinsdale: Hinsdale Community Center 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Jaffrey: Jaffrey Public Library – Tuesday and Wednesday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Peterborough: Monadnock Community Hospital conference rooms Wednesday, Peterborough Library Thursday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Rindge: Rindge Recreation Department Tuesday-Thursday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Stoddard: Library – Tuesday and Wednesday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

WEATHER UPDATES: Click here for seven-day and hour-by-hour weather forecasts: mykeenenow.com/forecast/